Cablevision Systems Corp. Securities Fraud Derivative Litigation

Result: $34.4 million settlement
Year: 2008

In re Cablevision Systems Corp. Derivative Securities Fraud Litigation

Lieff Cabraser served as Co-Lead Counsel in a shareholders’ derivative action against the board of directors and numerous officers of Cablevision.

The suit alleged that defendants intentionally manipulated stock option grant dates to Cablevision employees between 1997 and 2002 in order to enrich certain officer and director defendants at the expense of Cablevision and Cablevision shareholders. According to the complaint, Defendants made it appear as if stock options were granted earlier than they actually were in order to maximize the value of the grants.

In September 2008, the Court granted final approval to a $34.4 million settlement of the action. Over $24 million of the settlement was contributed directly by individual defendants who either received backdated options or participated in the backdating activity.